Projectile.



H. DEAN.

PROJEOTILE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1914.

1,132,455, Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

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HENRY DEAN, 0F ONAWAY, MICHIGAN.

PROJEGTILE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ona-.

way, in the county of Presque Isle and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to projectiles and in particular to a projectile for conveying inflammable fluids, the primary object being to provide a projectile of this character which is adapted to ignite and scatter its contents upon the targets when striking the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a projectile of the class described which is constructed so as to be readily operable and reliable in use, and which consists of two parts of simple and durable construction in order that the device may be manufactured and assembled at a minimum cost.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the projectile; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken therethrough; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 33 of Fig.

2; and, Fig. 4 is a detailed perspectiveview of the torch member.

In the drawing the numeral 1 designates for the container 4, which is adapted to receive a load of inflammable material, preferably a liquid, such as gasolene or the like.

The body 1 is provided in its. rear end with a frusto-conical recess 6 in which a correspondingly shaped base 7 of a torch is adapted to be frictionally engaged. This torch has two holding arms 8 which project rearwardly from the base 7 in parallel relation to each other. These holding arms are in the form of resilient rods which have their rear free ends bent inwardly as at 9, the planes of the said bent portions being arranged parallel to each other. A mass of absorbent material 10, such as cotton waste Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1914. Serial No. 855,202.

or the like is adapted to be engaged between the holding arms, it being wedged between the bent extremities 9 thereof. This absorbent material is adapted to be saturated with the liquid contents of the contamer, whereby it is rendered readily in flammable.

T he torch base 7 is provided medially with an axial opening 11 for the reception of an explosive chamber 12, whose flanged head 13 is adapted to engage the smaller end of the base to limit the rearward movement of the chamber therein. This chamber 12 is substantially in the form of the ordinary metallic cartridge used in small arms and 13 adapted to contain an explosive, such as gun-powder or the like. the chamber 12 is adapted to project into the mass of absorbent material 10, but is sealed by means of a liquid proof cap 14. A percussioncap 15 of the ordinary type is mounted within the head 13 of the explosive chamber in communication with the interior thereof and also in alinement with and adjacent to the pointed rear end of a firing pin 17, which latter'is mounted within an axial opening 18- provided medially within the body 1. The firing pin fits tight within the receiving body opening so as to be normally immovable, but it is provided upon its forward end with an enlarged head 19, which is adapted to engage the target when the projectile pierces the same, in order that the firing pin will be forced rearwardly thereby. The projectile shown and described is adapted particularly for use in smooth bore guns, but it is to be understood that the usual soft bands (not shown) of copper or other desirable metal, may be mounted within the outer periphery of the body 1 in the usual manner, so that they may cut into the grooves of a rifled cannon bore and thus afford the desired rotary movement of the projectile upon its major axis.

When the projectile strikes a target aimed at, the firing pin will be forced rearwardly into engagement with the percussion cap, whereupon the explosive in'the chamber 12 will be ignited. The body of the projectile and the casing 4 will be torn apart by this explosion and the torch will be i as to set fire to the inflammable uid contained within the casing. The ignited fluid will be scattered over the target by centrifugal force aswell as bythe force of the ited so explosion. \Vhen the projectile strikes an aeroplane. a balloon, or a ship, the resulting damage'thereto should be great. It should also be highly effective'in setting fire to the buildings of a city under bombardment. Further uses of the projectile as a destructive agent in modern warfare should become apparent as time progresses.

What is claimed is 1. A projectile of the class described comprising an elongated body, a hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open, said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably onto the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber. and means for detonating the percussion cap when the projectile strikes.

2. A projectile of the class described com prising an elongated body, a hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open, said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably onto the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, and a firing pin mounted within the body for longitudinal movement therein and being adapted to engage the said pereussion cap, the forward end of the firing pin being adapted normally to project outwardly from the adjacent end of the body.

3. A projectile of the class described comprising an elongated body, a hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open, said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably onto the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, means for detonating the percussion cap when the projectile strikes, a mass of combustible solid material adapted to be mounted upon the base of the torch within the casing, and means for securing the said mass of material detachably of the torch base.

4. A projectile of the class described comprising an elongated body, a hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open, said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably onto the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, means for detonating the percussion cap when the projectile strikes, a mass of combustible solid material adapted to be mounted upon the base of the torch within the casing, and coextensive holding arms of resilient material projecting rearwardly from the torch base within the casing and having their rear ends adapted to embrace the said mass of solid material.

A projectile of the class described comprislng an elongated body, a. hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open. said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably onto the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, means for detonating the percussion cap when the projectile strikes, a mass of combustible solid material adapted to be mounted upon the base of the torch within the casing, and coextensive holding arms of resilient material projecting rearwardly -from the torch base within the casing and having their rear ends adapted to embrace the said mass of solid material. the said ends of the holding arms being bent inwardly and arranged substantially parallel to each other.

1 6. A projectile of the class described comprising an elongated body, a hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open. said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably onto the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, means for detonating the percussion cap when the projectile strikes, a mass of absorbent solid material adapted to be positioned upon the said torch base within the casing, and means for securing the said mass of material detachably to the base.

7. A projectile of the class described comprising an elongated body, a hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open, said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably onto the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch includinga base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, and means for detonating the percussion cap when the projectile strikes, the

- end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed Within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, and means for detonating the per-' cussion cap when the pro ectile strikes, the.

projectile body being provided in its rear end with a recess adapted to receive the torch base.

9. A prc ectile of the class described comprising an elongated body, a hollow casing adapted to contain inflammable fluids and having one end open, said end of the casing being adapted to fit detachably on to the rear end of the body, a torch connected with the rear end of the body and being disposed within the casing, said torch including a base having a chamber therein adapted to contain explosive material, a percussion cap mounted within the forward end of the chamber, and means for detonating the percussion cap when the projectile strikes, the said projectile body being provided at its rear end with a frusto-conical recess, the said torch .base being frusto-conical in shape and adapted to fit detachably within said recess. 

